Endotracheal tube holders, clamps or retainers have long been known and have usually consisted of a faceplate, tied by a strap around the back of the patient's head, and covering the mouth area of the patient, there being a single aperture in the faceplate for receiving the endotracheal tube. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,457 to Phillips of Jan. 21, 1958 wherein the faceplate is a flange integral with the mouthpiece and bite block and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,269 to Cheng of Oct. 13, 1959 wherein the faceplate has a tubular integral bite block on the side and an open slot on the other side for the tube.
The Cheng device provides a slot opening of greater outside circumference than that of a rigid tube so that a locking plate, locking arm and locking spring are required to retain the tube in the slot.
The prior art also reveals a line of clamp type faceplates for clamping on an endotracheal tube as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,227 of Aug. 31, 1971 and No. 3,760,811 of Sept. 25, 1973 to Andrew wherein the two sections of the clamp lock together around the tube but must be broken to remove the tube. A pivoted jaw type clamp is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,081 to Cussell of Nov. 23, 1976 wherein there may be two holes for two tubes but the device makes use of adhesive tape on the skin of the patient which applicant has found to be objectionable.
It is also known to provide a curved, elongated, airway, having a lateral slot opening to permit sidewise insertion of a tube before insertion of the airway into the trachea as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,658 to Berman of Jan. 17, 1978. Also to provide a straight, tooth shield member of unsplit tubular cross section with a side support of generally U-shaped configuration for receiving a medical instrument as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,946 to Sundstrom of Sept. 18, 1979.
However, these patents do not disclose any means for stabilization of the tube in the mouth laterally or side wise and presumably must be taped directly onto the skin of the patient's face.